Integrated care for people with LF and leprosy Paul Watson Head of Programmes & Advocacy with 26th September 2018

Lepra’s mission To enable children, women and men affected by neglected diseases to transform their lives and overcome poverty and prejudice Focus on people affected by leprosy & LF, their needs and aspirations Combined approach = tackling leprosy & LF through shared interventions and shared resources, with groups as a core strategy Taking the combined leprosy-LF approach to scale Integrated care approach = leprosy and LF care is managed and delivered through the general health system, building capacity

Where Lepra works India Bangladesh Mozambique MDA 2017 20,000 people reached with MDA MMDP 2017 57,000 new cases of LF identified 28,000 people given self-care training 29,600 people received footwear and assistive devices 4,000 people gained access to government grants and benefit schemes 2,600 men received hydrocele surgery

Lepra’s LF activities Vector control: bed net distribution, social mobilisation for insecticide spraying campaigns, WASH MDA support: micro-planning, training, IEC, remapping Capacity-building of frontline workers: in detection and treatment Case-finding Diagnosis Self-care: training, follow-up, self-care kits, self-care group formation Psychosocial support: assessment, individual and family counselling Complication management: disability prevention camps, treating ADL Hydrocelectomies: training surgeons, social mobilisation, case identification Rights-based advocacy: at community, intermediate and national level

Best practices in LF-leprosy care Self-care group formation & support alongside capacity building of health staff: government, private and traditional Benefits from management perspective: Better programme efficiency & effectiveness More effective reach Increases impact Expanding ‘usual network’ Opening up opportunities Benefits from beneficiary perspective: Better efficiency More comprehensive health services Positive changes in stigma & discrimination Reduced negative attitudes Better learning in combined groups Claiming rights together Linked to benefit schemes Commitment of local leaders Drawn from the work of Lepra, Netherlands Leprosy Relief & effect:hope

Lessons learnt in LF-leprosy care Engage local health staff in project design and implementation Focus upon peripheral/community level staff Involvement from the beginning Continuous networking Work with local leaders and family members Stakeholders with a great impact on changing lives of people affected Of importance for the protection and livelihood of people affected Strengthen the evidence base Research and data reinforce advocacy efforts More is needed, particularly disease mapping Beyond data collection: share & review knowledge

End Thank you Paul Watson Head of Programmes & Advocacy Lepra PaulW@lepra.org.uk www.lepra.org.uk